


A second chance

by Night_pheonix



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Complicated Relationships, How Do I Tag, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Multi, My First Fanfic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-War, Scars, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:21:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25426087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Night_pheonix/pseuds/Night_pheonix
Summary: I started this on wattpad ages ago. I just got more motivation to write again. It's set after the war. Draco is realesed from his house arrest, but must go live with Harry Potter. He soon grows fond of the newly found peace in his life, up to the moment he looks at Harry with Teddy and realizes he is utterly in love with his now former enemy. Harry doesn't mind Draco living with him until he needs to help with Malfoys nightmares and Dracos carefully crafted mask starts to slowly fade away making Harry fall in love.This is a bad summary, but oh well. We'll see how this goes
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Hermione Granger/Pansy Parkinson, Ron Weasley/Blaise Zabini
Kudos: 15





	1. The arrival

Harry was awakened from his restless slumber by a loud knocking. He wondered aloud who on earth could it be at such an unearthly hour. He got up slowly, but when the knocking grew louder decided to just get it over with and see who it is. He didn't know that in a few seconds the lifestyle he had tried to build for himself after the war would crumble to pieces.

Draco looked at the piece of parchment he was holding in his pale hand. On it was a neatly written adress (12 grimmauld place). In his pocket he had the letter the ministry had given to him to hand to Harry explaining his sudden arrival . Even though it had been a few years , Draco had never felt this way before. It was a wierd feeling, like when you go visit someone you used to know after so many years without as much as a single letter or meeting. Sadly given his current situation he couldn't back out or apparate away, because the ministry had clearly stated that he is to be released from his house arrest IF he goes to live with none other than the famous Harry Potter and takes up a job as his right hand auror. Well he had stalled long enough. With a defeated step he slowly neared the door to his new home. The knock rang through the night loud enough to wake the dead, but perfect Potter was obviously oblivious to the fact that Malfoy is now standing in front of his door.

A few minutes passed and Draco knocked a few more times. A minute passed. He was just reaching out to knock once more when the door opened with a flourish. There in just his underwear and a quickly thrown on dressing gown stood Harry Potter. Draco's breath caught in his lungs as he stared at Harry. He just couldn't stop looking in awe at how muscled Potter had become over the years.

Harry threw on a dressing gown and trudged down the stairs as quickly as his sleep drunk self allowed, without tumbling down the stairs and landing in an ungracful heep as he had done just a few days ago. Once he reached the door he looked through the grimy peep hole to see who it is. And he couldn't believe who he was seeing....Draco Malfoy. He swung open the door ignoring the fact that it's cold and he has almost nothing on. He was just so surprised to see Malfoy that the bits of common sense he still had suddenly decided to take a vacation.   
Malfoy looked just as dumb struck as he felt. So for a few moments both the men just stood and stared.   
Just as the silence was becoming uncomfortable Harry had enough. He stepped down the few steps and embraced Draco as an old friend would. He could feel Draco stiffen under his grasp, but soon felt him relax and return the embrace.

Draco stared as Harry stepped down towards him. He was startled when Potter embraced him as if he was just an old school mate and not his sworn enemy. After a few moments of hesitation he relaxed and returned the embrace.

The boys didn't think of each other as enemy's anymore. There was some sort of unspoken agreement between them that stated that they may not be best friends, but you could call the thing between them some sort of friendship.

After a few minutes Draco became a bit self conscious and pulled away. He looked up at Harry to see the boy fighting to stop a blush from creeping up his cheeks. Suddenly Harry burst out laughing and asked innocently "is Draco Malfoy blushing because of a hug?". That was when Draco recognised the odd, yet weirdly calming flush of his own cheeks and quickly tucked his face into his coat. He stiffly held out the letter to Harry.


	2. The letter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is just the letter mentioned in the previous chapter

Harry was a bit taken aback by the letter. He didn't object to the details describing Draco's stay nor did he discuss them with Draco himself. The letter itself contained details informing of the way this agreement was supposed to work. The letter went something like this:  
"Dear Mr Potter,  
We wish to inform you of our recent decision as it involves you and the house you got after Mr Blacks untimely death. Draco Lucius Malfoy will be coming to live with you for the next two years. During that time he will need to be supervised most of the time to ensure he does not sport any suspicious activity or tries to hurt himself under the influence of memories meeting you might bring flooding back. We will of course check in on your well being on the first day of each month during the two years of Draco Malfoys stay in your household. We are sorry if this is followed by any inconveniences, but it must be done to ensure Malfoy may have any chance on bringing his life, safety and well being into a better state than it is at this moment. He will attempt to do this by becoming your right hand auror and he must learn how to help others and put their well being before his own. You will have to help him during this personality transformation. We believe that under your influence he will have a better chance at destroying all the evil traits Lord Voldemort may have planted into his brain. We once again apologise for any problems Mr Malfoy may cause. We hope you are well.  
Sincerely,  
The Minister of Magic."


	3. The upstairs bedroom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry the chapters are so short. I'll be working to improve them at some point.

Harry finished the letter and looked at Draco's pale figure still standing expectantly on his doorstep. He moved aside and the light in the corridor fell on Draco's features and revealed the changes that had been hidden in the semi darkness. Draco's face now had a healthier look and his eyes, once cold, slate gray now had a more icy blue colour. They were so different from the boy Harry had rejected in first year,yet at the same time so perfectly Malfoy that Harry soon found himself lost in the moon like abyss of Draco's gaze.

Both boys just stood there and stared at each other until a sudden shiver ran down Harry's body. Draco looked startled, but quickly composed himself and took a step towards Harry in an attempt to make the man step into his home. The poorly thought through tactic worked, much to Draco's well hidden surprise. Harry stepped aside and let Draco into his home.

He showed him where to put his coat and bag. He also told him where he will sleep and briefly ran over his day to day schedule. He then turned on his heel and strode slowly, but confidently onto the creeking stairs. The two men walked up to the first floor of the house. Harry went first, Draco swiftly followed and the levitating suitcases brought up the rear. Once room arrangements had been successfully finished Harry gesturned for Draco to follow him even higher - up to the top floor.

Once they reached their destination Harry turned slowly to Malfoy. He then spoke with a trembling, but deliberate voice. " This used to be Siriuses room and I would appreciate it if for the time being didn't come up here." Draco looked up at the face of his host. It was the most down-trodden look he had ever seen. He understood why Harry would like to keep him away from this place. Draco knew how many memories could be here and he didn't want to even start thinking how he would react if his godfather had died before his own eyes. Suddenly the most unexpected thing happened...

The door leading to the abandoned room shimered a pale blue colour. Harry noticed Dracos startled expression and hurried to explain the wierd phenomenon. "I charmed this door to shimmer whenever I'm close to it. This creates the illusion of my godfathers presence. This actually helped through a few hard days."

"Oh, that makes sense. " Harry barely heard the murmed words, because Draco had already turned and started to walk swiftly back to his room. Harry chuckled quietly and followed Draco down to their separate rooms.


	4. First impressions (and how they made life harder)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think this is the last chapter I actually have written in full. I will be writing new ones, they'll just take a bit longer to put together.

It was the morning after Draco had arrived at Harry's doorstep in the middle of the night. Both boys lay in their rooms staring up at the faded paint on the ceiling wondering how there life would change. Those few words and the quick embrace were not enough to banish the rivalry that had divided them ever since that day at Hogwarts. Ever since the rejected handshake.

Malfoy had always thought Potter had rejected his friendship, because of his father and the fact that most of his family was at some point a death eater. What he had never considered was the fact that his family had nothing to do with it. Because of this he never expected what was about to happen or how it would change everything. 

Harry lay silently in his bed, thinking about the time he had a chance to be friends with Draco. He now regretted saying no to his outstretched hand. As he lay staring up at the ceiling, he suddenly had an urge to make amends with Draco whatever it takes, because like it or not: he now had to live with him. Deciding there's no better time than the present, Harry swung his feet out from under the warm covers into his wornout slippers. Slowly rising from his bed Harry had a nagging feeling in the back of his head. He wasn't sure if it was excitement or worry, but he knew he couldn't turn back and abandon his mission. So with a determined look on his face Harry strode in the direction of Draco's closed door.

Malfoy heard the floor outside his door creaking slightly and considered his options. In the end he couldn't take the suspense and called out just loud enough to be heard through the closed door. "Oh do come in Potter. Don't sneak around."

Moments later a gently startled Harry opened the old door and stepped inside the dimly lit room. The former death eater was mildly surprised Harry had actually listened to his half-hearted sentence. Realising that Harry had asked a question Draco spluttered a quick "what" and then promptly proceded to not listen again and by doing so, forcing himself to ask once more what the auror had said.


	5. Apologies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is really short and chaotic, because I'm bad at writing conversations, but enjoy I guess.

"I asked if we could talk" explained a slightly annoyed Harry  
"Oh, sure" "Did you have a specific topic in mind?"   
"No, not really. I was hoping we could just chat and see where we end up" "you down?"   
"Yeah, okay. I didn't exactly have anything better planned"  
After that exchange an uncomfortable silence fell between the two wizards.  
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry" The words rang through the air startling both Harry and Draco (who had no idea why he'd said that)   
"Okay?"   
"I mean, I really am sorry. For everything. I just wasn't sure how to say it. Or if you'd even listen"   
"Of course I'd listen. Look, we both made mistakes. I never apologised for rejecting you in first year"  
"Looks like we both did things we regret"  
"I never said I regretted it" Harry chuckled  
"I don't blame you"  
"But the thing is... I do regret it. I regretted it as soon as it happened."  
"It's okay. I forgave you for that ages ago. I guess that's what happens when we save each other’s lives... We forgive faster."  
"Yeah, I guess that's true"  
Another silence fell, but this time it was a free and comfortable kind of silence. They sat together and after a while started talking about what had happened to each of them after the war.  
Harry found out that Draco hadn’t returned to Hogwarts for his eight year. Instead he took his Newts by owl and of course passed them all with flying colours. He also had a chance to look through a window into Draco’s life, thanks to which he learned a bit about his home life and his relationship with his parents.   
Draco on the other hand, found out that Harry had only showed up at school to write the Newts and then returned to his auror training. He learned about his and Ginny’s break-up and about how the Weasleys are coping. He didn’t pry, but he did apologise for not switching sides earlier. He still felt guilty and thought that his switch might have saved some people, maybe not Fred, but maybe someone would have survived.   
*time skip – a couple hours*  
After hours of talking (and some sitting in silence) the wizards realized it was well into the day already and decided it would be best to go out to eat instead of attempting any cooking.

**Author's Note:**

> If there are any mistakes please let me know. I appreciate all comments and if anyone has any ideas for future chapters don't hesitate to tell me.


End file.
